There’s nothing quite like a feminist anthem to get you buzzing. Whether it’s a song about double standards, sexism or unconventional sexuality, or self-worth, respect and empowerment, these inspiring tunes from the past and present showcase feminism without fear. Click through the slideshow for some badass feminist lyrics to hum in your car, scrawl in your notebook or […]

It may have started as a joke. Or maybe a form of break-up therapy. Whatever led alt-rock singer-songwriter Ryan Adams to record his own track-by-track version of Taylor Swift’s mega-hit album 1989, it’s turning out to be a big win for the two artists on many fronts. In what has to be a music history first, both […]

If you still remember Hailee Steinfeld as a 14-year-old girl who rocked twinned braids and got an Oscar nomination for True Grit, prepare yourself for her transformation. The now-legal adult recently released a music video for her first single, “Love Myself,” and it’s packed with some serious sass. While the song ostensibly centers around building self-esteem and […]

The next time you’re curled up in a ball, holding a heating pad in one hand and a milkshake in the other while a wolverine ravages your uterus, don’t resign yourself to watching Nicholas Sparks movies for the week. Menstruation is no reason to feel bad about yourself, so cheer up with this Ms. Blog playlist […]

As many of you may know by now, neither the “Feeling Myself” music video nor the unapologetic celebration of voluptuousity that was the “Anaconda” music video were nominated for best video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. Nicki Minaj took to Twitter after the snub, calling out the music industry for routinely ignoring […]

I must confess that Rihanna is a guilty pleasure of mine. While pop stars like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have claimed feminist identities, Rihanna refuses to toe political lines, rejects respectability politics, and unabashedly engages in bad behavior. Our society expects oh-so-high standards for women and people of color who must self-present as “role models.” Rihanna is having none […]

It’s officially summer! In the spirit of the season, we would like to kick off with a feel-good mixtape of feminist summer hits to help you celebrate (or escape) the inevitable sizzle. Whether you’re beach-bound and driving along with some grrrl rock jams, having a dance party under the stars to dreamy neo-soul, or looking to cool down in […]

With this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival—and its rampant cultural appropriation (ahem festival garb)—behind us for now, we’ve put together our dream feminist Coachella lineup featuring a handful of artists who have either claimed their feminism, sung about it, proudly rallied for it or unapologetically lived it. Here’s hoping a fem-fest of this size […]

One of the treasured women of pop music died on Monday: Lesley Gore. A hitmaker at the age of 16 with the indelible “It’s My Party,” she followed that up with what she called “the first truly bitchy song,” “Judy’s Turn to Cry,” and then with one of the first and greatest proto-feminist anthems, “You […]

In the megawatt haze of the recording industry’s biggest night, we tend to gravitate towards the most shocking, eccentric or bizarre displays of showmanship. So it should come as no surprise that eyebrows were raised by singer/songwriter Sia’s three-foot platinum wig, which obscured her face on the Grammy red carpet. Later, to perform her hit song […]